Ensilage-cutter or the like.



G. M. MERWIN.

mums CUTTER OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED .IULYG, l9l5- Patented Dec. '18, 1917.

4 TED STATES P TENT ennron.

GEORGE M. MERWIN', or BERWYN, ILLINOIS, AssIGnon TO'INTERNATIONAL HAR! vnsrnn COMPANY OF NEW JERSEY, a CORPORATION OF EW JERSEY. V

ENSILAGE-CUTTER THE LIKE.

Application filed July 6, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. MnRwIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berwyn, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ensilage-Cutters or the like, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

IMy invention relates to ensilage cutters or the like.

It has among its objectsto adjust the knife of an ensilage cutter or like machine in an improved manner whereby the operation of adjustment may be made with greater facility. A further object of my invention is toimprove the adjusting mechanism of such a machine insuch a manner that the knife may be definitely held in each position of adjustment, or may be removed whenever desired without changing the adjusting mechanism. A still further object of my invention is to produce a simple and strong knife clamping and adjusting mechanism which iswell adapted to withstand long use in service. I attain these objects by improved mechanism operable from the back of the cutter head, preferably operatively connected between the knife post and the cutter head and preferably comprising an ad ustable wedge and cooperating rack and pinion mechanism for moving the wedge relative to the cutter head, the clamping member extending through the last men tioned mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings I have for purposes of illustration shown one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a cutter head equipped with my improvement.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a portion of the cutter head showing an end View of the adjusting mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view'through the cutter head showing the side of the adjusting mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the adjustable pinion member. 7

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the pinion member.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the adjustable wedge or rack member.

In the embodiment of my invention illus- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1917.-

Serial No. 38,301.

trated, I have shown a cutter head 1 having a plurality of knives 2 thereon, preferably disposed on opposite sides of fan blades 3 and substantially at right angles to each other. As shown, these knives are of the outward-shear type and each is seated in grooves on the tops ofspaced posts 4, upstanding shoulders 5 being provided on the posts to prevent rearward movement of the knives with respect thereto. Both the posts 4 and the knives 2 are attached to the cutter head 1 by means of suitable bolts 6 which extend through the head and are held in position by locking nuts 7 of any desired form. Upon each of these posts 4 a rearwardly extending portion or extension 8 is also preferably provided, a bolt 9 extending throughthe same and through the cutter head.

In order to adjust the knife, the under surface of each post 4 is made inclined transversely with respect to the knife, as

shown at 10, and transversely movable wedge 11 is inserted between this inclined surface and the flat surface of the cutter head 1. As shown, this wedge 11 is provided with an elongated slot 1:2 having a rack surface 13 on one of its sides at a point adjacent its wide or rear end, the width of the slot preferably being decreased toward] the front end thereof, as shown in Fig. 6. Cooperating with this rack surface 13 is a pinion member 14, while preferably formed integral with this pinion is asleeve 15 which extends through the cutter head and is preferably of slightly larger diameter than the pinion. Also preferably integral with the sleeve 15 is a nut 16, preferably of larger diameter than the sleeve and carried on the back of the cutter head. As shown, each of these three elements, the pinion 14, the sleeve 15, and the nut 16, is provided with a registering opening forming a continuous bore 17 through which the bolt 9 is passed, and all of these elements are locked in position by a suitable lock nut 18 on that bolt.

WVhen it is desired to adjust the knife, in my improved construction it is only necessary to release the lock nut 18 and the nut 7 in such a manner as to permit free move ment of the wedge 11 to the desired extent and then to rotate the nut 16 in the desired direction, whereupon, through the engagement of the pinion 14 with the teeth on the ment sought has taken place, the nut 18 is again tightened, as well as the nut 7 the parts then being securely held positively against movement through the interengagement of the pinion and rack and the clamping action of the nuts 18 and 7.

It will be noted that in this construction the adjustment is made entirely lrom the side of the cutter head opposite that carrying the knives, so that the parts to be adjusted may be readily reached, at the same time that all necessity for reaching over the knives and thereby causing danger to the operator is avoided. Attention is also directed to the fact, that in my improved construction the knife may be readily removed whenever desired without altering its adjustment. It is also to be noted that the construction shown is of a rugged and simple construction which may be very readily and cheaply manufactured.

While I have in this application described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it is, of course to be understood that the form used is shown for purposes of illustration and may be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. In an ensilage cutter, a cutter head, a knife carrying post thereon having an inclined surface, a wedge interposed between said inclined surface and said cutter head, and gear means having a control portion on the opposite side of said cutter head from said wedge for adjusting the latter relative to the cutter head.

2. In an ensilage cutter, a cutter head, a knife carrying post having an inclined surface, an adjusting wedge interposed between said inclined surface and cutter head, said wedge having a rack surface therein, a pinion meshing with said rack surface, and means on the opposite side of said cutter head from said wedge for adjusting said pinion.

3. In an ensilage cutter, a cutter head, a knife carrying post having an inclined surface, a wedge disposed between said surface and said cutter head, rack and pinion mecha nism for adjusting said wedge disposed within the latter, means for clamping said post and wedge to said cutter head, and supplemental means operable upon release .of said clamping means for adjusting said rack and pinion mechanism.

a. In an ensilage cutter, a cutter head, a knife carrying post thereon having an inclined surface, a wedge member disposed between said inclined surface and said cutter head having a rack surface thereon, a pinion meshing with said rack surface, a sleeve ro.- tatable with said pinion and journaled in said cutter head, a nut movable with said sleeve carried on the'opposite surface of said cutter head from said wedge, and means for clamping all the parts to said cutter head.

5. In an ensilage cutter, a cutter head, a knife carrying post thereon having an inclined surface, awedge member disoosed between said inclined surface and said cutter head having an elongated slot therein and a rack surface therein,a pinion meshing with said rack surface, a sleeve integral with said pinion and journaled in said cutter head, a nut movable with said sleeve and carried on the opposite surface of said cutter head from said wedge, a clampingmemher associated with said post, wedge, pinion, sleeve and nut, and a cooperating clamping member therefor.

Chicago, 111., June 28, 191 5.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE M. MERWIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

